The Search for Galadriel
by Gramayre
Summary: Arya and Eragon appear in the Undying Lands and only the Fellowship members that reside there believe they are not responsible for Galadriel's disappearance just as they arrive. Eragon X Arya
1. Chapter 1

The Undying Lands were beyond beauty. The green leaves of the Mallorn trees, newly planted by Galadriel herself, never died when fall came. A slight breeze stirred the leaves and a few fluttered to the ground. _What? That hasn't happened since Sauron still roamed Middle Earth! _ Legolas thought in wonder as the leaves changed mid-air from their dark, rich green to a golden colour.

The idea that something must be wrong didn't process until Legolas heard a loud noise from the undergrowth around the clearing he sat in. He turned in the direction of the sound, and was startled to see a serious-looking female elf with green eyes and black hair emerge from the bushes, twigs and leaves stuck in her hair. He stifled a laugh at the strange sight.

The elf seemed just then to notice him. Her eyebrows arched in surprise, and she immediately drew a green sword out of its matching scabbard. "Who are you?" she asked with hostility.

Legolas couldn't contain his laugh any longer. The other elf seemed even more surprised by his response, but smiled all the same at the merry sound. "Who are _you_? This is my land you've intruded in, though I see you likely aren't as evil a being as I would have thought, had you and I not been kindred!" Legolas replied.

The elf lowered her weapon. "It seems that we are, indeed. I am called Arya where I am from. Now, will you answer my question?"

Legolas nodded. "I guess it would be polite to, yes. I am Legolas of the Undying Lands. Where are you from, for you are obviously not from around here, or even Middle Earth, I would guess," he said, grinning at the end so as to retain the friendly atmosphere.

"The land I come from is Algaesia. What is Middle Earth, may I ask?" Arya asked politely. Things were already weird, but at that moment, a huge green beast appeared over the treetops. Yes, _over_. "Oh, Fírnen, I said to stay back while I scouted ahead!" the elven women shouted in a frustrated manner.

Legolas was struck with fear for a moment at the sight of the dragon- now he remembered what it was- but was reassured when the dragon didn't eat Arya. "Why doesn't that dragon eat you? They have only caused destruction in Middle Earth!"

Arya shook her head. "It would take too long to explain, so let's leave it at this- we have a mutual agreement between our two races, as well as with many others. Now, let's get to the important stuff. How did I get here?" she questioned him.

Legolas shrugged. "I know no more how you got here than you do. If you want to know how, the person to ask is Galadriel. She would find a way to find out if she didn't already know. Follow me," he commanded.


	2. Chapter 2

To many people, the day Eragon Shadeslayer disappeared was the day he died. He and Saphira flew out one day from their new city outside Algaesia to hunt, and they never returned.

Saphira swooped down to catch a wounded buffalo out of the herd. Eragon rode on her back and used magic to stun it as she lunged for it. They were about to reach it when the ground shifted and the whole landscape changed. The buffalo herd was no longer there, and the forest that had once surrounded them on all sides was now a huge ocean-side city with boats in its dock.

Saphira brought herself to a halt inside a flowery clearing, trampling several shrubs in her wake. The residents of the city had probably seen her land and would be coming to investigate shortly. Eragon climbed of the blue dragon's back and scanned his surroundings. Trees lined a walkway to the city, their leaves greener than any where he had come from. The city was made mostly of stone, but had several trees growing in smaller gardens along the roads and by houses.

_What happened, Eragon? _Saphira asked. Before Eragon could reply, a few heavily armed guards came marching down the pathway to the garden. To his surprise, Eragon could recognize their elven features.

"What are you doing here?" the guard at the head of the group demanded. He had a spear in his hand and a bow and quiver on his back.

_They're elves!_ Eragon told Saphira excitedly. "I don't know. Saphira and I don't even know what this place is, much less why we're here," he said while motioning to Saphira.

The guard looked at Saphira with furrowed brows, and then motioned to the others around him. They got into defensive positions with their spears pointed towards Eragon and the dragon. "I'm sorry, but we'll have to take you Elrond and Galadriel. If you make any sudden moves, we'll be forced to restrain you, so please don't."

The elves took them out of the clearing and Saphira was shoved through the small opening in the trees. The dock-side city was even more stunning up close. There were columns of white stone and bridges built so skilfully, it rivalled those of the dwarves.

They were led onto a large building on top of a hill with several levels to it. Inside, there was a large staircase that wound all the way to the top of the building, which was a glass dome that let in a lot of natural sunlight. Smells of freshly baked bread wafted in from a room farther in the building.

Saphira had some trouble getting up the stairs, so they eventually just allowed her to fly up to the top level. A large room with a high ceiling was the only one at the highest level of the vast building. A few elves went into the room with them, including the leader of the patrol, but most stayed behind to guard the room.

Inside the room, a dark-haired elf stood talking furiously with another, worry in his voice. "Who would've been able to..." he was whispering when he heard them walk in. "Ah, Efnír, what brings you here? And who is this?" he asked quickly, as if trying to hide something.

The leader of the patrol, apparently named Efnír, bowed in response. "Greetings, Elrond. Where is the Lady Galadriel? Surely she is not travelling anywhere now..." Efnír shook his head distractedly. "Sorry, I should not be asking questions before answering yours. This is- " he looked at Eragon, realising he hadn't learned his name.

"Eragon Shadeslayer and my dragon, Saphira, at your service," Eragon told Elrond. _I am not you dragon, young one. You are my human, _Saphira objected.

_Oh, just go along with it, Saphira._

Elrond studied them for a moment. "How have you managed to tame a dragon, Shadeslayer?"

"I hatched her myself," Eragon replied. "She never learned to be wild like other dragons."

From a door that had previously gone unnoticed in the corner, a young elf rushed in. "Master Elrond, we found someone out in the woods. Do you think she has anything to do with Galadriel's disappearance?"

Elrond shot the boy an angry glance, and Efnír gasped. When Elrond realised he had heard it, he sighed. "Yes, it is true- Galadriel is missing."


	3. Chapter 3

Arya followed Legolas through the woods and soon found herself at the edge of a huge city. "Wait here for a moment, will you? I need to get someone." Legolas told her. He walked off in the direction of a nearby stone house, looking back only once to make sure Arya had stayed put.

Fírnen circled overhead and then swooped down to land beside Arya. _I think I'll wait here until you get back. I wouldn't want to scare anyone. _

_As long as you don't get lost, you should try to get a look at the landscape. It wouldn't hurt to get a better idea of where we are. _Arya replied.

_I won't lose my way. _Fírnen assured her, flying off a moment later.

Arya looked around at the city, taking in the huge buildings and beautiful gardens. It was a lot different from the elven cities in Algaesia, but she reasoned that these elves probably still valued nature as much as her kind.

Legolas came back a while later with a stout dwarf trailing him. "Hmm… this is strange. Who is it, Legolas?" the dwarf asked in a gruff voice. He had a long, braided beard that was nearly longer than he was.

"This is Arya. Arya, this is Gimli," Legolas introduced the dwarf.

Gimli held out a calloused hand. "Good to meet you, Arya," the dwarf said as she shook it. "So, where do you come from, elf?"

"It seems I have had to explain myself more than a dragon in a farmer's field today! I come from a very distant land called Algaesia." Arya replied. "So, where is this Galadriel you speak of?"

Gimli chuckled. "Oh, yes… Galadriel. I forgot that. I'd better tell her of your arrival. She will want to know before a stranger comes into her house. I'll send word to one of her pages."

"Thank you, Gimli," Legolas said. "She will be this way, Arya." Gimli headed off, and Legolas and Arya went behind. The dwarf soon disappeared from view.

Around twilight, they arrived at a huge building that slightly reminded Arya of Ilirea. Legolas continued into it, and Arya followed close behind. After going up a flight of stairs, Legolas paused in front of an ornately carved wooden door. "I think it would be best if I went in first. I'll tell you when to come in," he said.

_It seems as if I'm always getting left behind, doesn't it?_ Arya thought absent-mindedly. _Fírnen, where are you? _

Fírnen showed her a mental image of rolling waves and green trees. _It is like nothing I have seen before, Arya. We are definitely in a different land._

_I can agree with that. _Just as she told Fírnen that, Legolas came back out of the room. "Elrond wishes to see you," he said.

_Who's Elrond?_ Arya thought with some concern. Inside the room, a tall grey-eyed elf stood in front of a strikingly familiar man. "Eragon!" Arya exclaimed in disbelief.

Eragon turned around and smiled when he saw her. "Arya, I thought I'd never see you again!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Question: Did Galadriel give her Ring to Gandalf when they went to the Undying Lands or no? I can't quite remember, and your answer will have a very great effect on the story, so don't get the answer wrong!** **Please don't treat me like a complete idiot if this question is totally nonsensical!**

Eragon couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Arya standing in the doorway. All thoughts of this Galadriel person vanished from his mind as soon as he saw her. "How did _you_ get here?" he asked curiously.

Arya shook her head. "I don't know. What's going on here? Where's Galadriel?" Her bright green eyes shone with nervousness and excitement at the same time.

Elrond coughed loudly to get their attention. "I was just getting to that. She wasn't found this morning, and even by our…. _special_... means of communicating with her, she couldn't be detected. And then you two were found, and several of the elves here have gotten suspicious. Do you have any information on how she may have disappeared? Anything perhaps strange that has happened in your realm?" he seemed anxious for some knowledge of where Galadriel was, even if it did come from strangers.

Arya's eyes widened with shock. "You mean she isn't here?!" she said, on the brink of sounding angry.

"I don't think anything strange happened in Algaesia, but then again, I wasn't there," Eragon told the tall elf. Saphira snorted in amusement at his reply from her corner in the room where she struggled to squeeze herself small.

Elrond nodded half-heartedly. "I expected as much. A force is at work that none of us has seen yet." Abruptly he looked up, forcing a smile. "I should not force this problem upon you two, however. You are free to wander the city as you please, as long as you take a resident of Aman with you. Legolas will show you somewhere you can stay."

Legolas bowed curtly and led them out to the town. After Eragon dismissed Saphira to join Fírnen, they passed a fountain at the intersection of two busy roads that seemed to be lined with interconnecting columns. The sight was much more beautiful than anything Eragon had seen in Algaesia. In a residential street, Eragon stared in awe at the amazing architecture of the white stone houses and the columns that decorated many of them. Arya was quiet the whole way down the road as she looked at the way the houses flawlessly complimented the plants that grew around them.

Arya pointed at the view of the ocean far below them. The harbour was nearly empty, save for one huge ship with a white sail. Pelicans and albatrosses flew overhead, and waves lapped on the shore. "Isn't that amazing?" she asked faintly.

"Yes, it certainly is," Eragon agreed.

Upon hearing their comments, Legolas said, "Many of the elves here used to live in Middle Earth, but the seas called us here. It isn't hard to understand when you're actually here, is it?" He stopped in front of a house easily fit for Nasuada. It had a small pond in the front, and dark green trees made a thick canopy overhead. "You can stay here. If you need me to take you anywhere, I will not be far away."

Legolas motioned for them to go inside, and the two outsiders disappeared inside the huge double doors. Legolas made sure they were not looking outside the windows, and then loped away to the harbour.

Just as he had expected, Samwise Gamgee was sitting with his legs hanging over the edge of one of the piers. He looked old and had probably had to have had some help getting this far away from his house. "How are you today, Sam?" Legolas asked cheerily. Sam looked up and gave him a crooked grin.

"Come to see an old hobbit, have you? I am doing fine; it is Frodo you should be asking that question to. He is sick and has had the worst dreams lately. I have tried to get any of the elves to help him, but they cannot cure his sickness. It worries me dearly," Sam replied glumly. He breathed the salty air in deeply. "Yes, it pains me that he cannot enjoy this place as I can."

Legolas sat down beside his old friend. They had gone through a lot together; he was reminded painfully of how hard it was to live so much longer than these men he had grown to be nearly family with. Bilbo had died a long time ago, though sometimes it felt as if it were only yesterday with the sadness it still brought him. Sam and Frodo may not be so far from death themselves.

"He has lived a full life, I daresay. You have, as well. How many Hobbits can boast defeating Sauron, or have even _dreamed _of seeing the dying lands? And, what's more, you had less than three meals a day for months!" Legolas said half-jokingly.

Sam laughed at this. "I suppose you're right, as always. But, you could not have simply come down here to reassure me that all will be well. What have you come for?"

"Ah, you have seen to my true intents. I have come to ask if Frodo is fit to visit, though I guess he is not, from what you've said," Legolas told Sam.

Sam shook his head. "No, Frodo could always use a visit. I can take you to him, if you wish." The old Hobbit stood up wearily and held out his hand for Legolas, though the elf stood up by himself, not wanting Sam to have to support his weight.

"That would be great," Legolas said cheerfully. The two old friends walked away to Frodo's house, the Halfling slowly with the nimble elf helping him up the stairs.


End file.
